The Outfit
The Outfit are a murderous force of paramilitary raiders and warlords that rule over the bombed out remains of the westernmost regions of the city of Havana, Cuba. The Outfit are unlike most raider gangs or coalitions of slavers in that they boast considerable cashes of pre-war arms and armor, including limited energy weapons and suits of powered armor. Though once a unified force, the Outfit has fractured into various minor factions over the centuries, forming a coalition of sorts as various warlords come to the fore of their respective corps. Though still united in cause, these corps are prone to some level of infighting and no small amount of politicking. History Pre-War 1999-2077: The Occupation On the 28th of June in 1999, the United States Commonwealth declared war on the Republic of Cuba on trumped up accusations of espionage. The resultant American occupation of Cuba was a bloody quagmire as the Revolutionary Armed Forces did battle with U.S. Marines and Naval forces in the streets of Havana and other major cities across the island. By the 8th of June 1999, the Revolutionary Armed Forces were in disarray and resorted to guerrilla tactics, using civilian supporters to strike at U.S. occupation forces. During this time, Marine forces in Havana had been embroiled in a bloody series of battles against entrenched communist guerrillas and civilian militias, and had resorted to increasingly heavy handed tactics in order to snuff out these resistance fighters. By 2000, the U.S. had declared the war a resounding success, but the president at the time ordered with unanimous support from Congress that an occupation force remain to assist the rightful Republican government in rooting out remaining communist rebels. Thus began over seventy years of armed occupation in Cuba, the United States Marine Corps, Army, and Navy kept combing the countryside alongside Republican forces and ensuring the people remained loyal to the dictatorial puppet regime propped up by U.S. muscle. Power armored soldiers regularly patrolled the streets of Havana alongside metropolitan police forces, assisting in the arrest of "suspected communist sympathizers". Even as the Sino-American war raged on, paranoia of a resurgence in communist power made the powers that be in D.C. consider outright annexation of Cuba before pulling out the massive occupation force. However, such a day would never come, for in 2077, all hell broke loose. Havana's city center was struck by a single nuclear warhead, and several more would strike the island. U.S. forces in Havana rallied around the charismatic leadership of LtCol. Arthur Connery after the initial chaos and all communication was cut off from the brass situated at Guantanamo Bay. At first the young Lieutenant Colonel moved to secure the El Capitolo building and rescue the members of the Cuban Congress and ranking officers who had been operating from there, linking up with other U.S. forces along the way. However, he and his men were set upon by rioting civilians and communist guerrillas. Fighting through the throngs, the marines soon came upon the smoldering hulk of El Capitolo, and found no survivors amongst the wreckage. Gathering up his remaining men, several platoons of US Marines and two squads of Marine Armored Calvary, Arthur and his men stormed the Castillo Azul Hotel and Casino on the western outskirts of the city and set up a base of operations from which to continue their war against the Communist forces in the city and fight for their very survival. As time wore on, and it became more and more clear that no relief was coming, Arthur considered his options. He and his men were in foreign territory, surrounded by 'the enemy' and rapidly running out of supplies. A month after the bombs fell, LtCol. Arthur Connery declared that the Marines had to do what they must to survive. It was either the civilians still desperately clinging to life in the city, or them. Thus, the as of yet unnamed Outfit went as it meant to go on, robbing, raiding, and pillaging the city for whatever they needed to survive. Post-War 2077-2083: Like Gangsters In the intervening years, the group of former U.S. Marines, under the determined and pragmatic leadership of Arthur Connery, thrived as best as someone could mere years after a nuclear war of apocalyptic proportions. Stealing and looting from the city and its inhabitants, linking up with other U.S. military remnants scattered about the countryside outside of Havana, and capturing a downed Vertibird. In this time, the most memorable score was the raid the LtCol led personally against a burgeoning stronghold of known Cuban cartel members who had managed to survive the fallout and subsequent riots. The reason for this brutal and one sided raid was simple... Booze. The Cuban cartels had begun bootlegging rather rapidly in this time of crisis, realizing that such luxuries would soon become some of the only currency left in the world. In spite of recent successes, morale had been low. Many of the men were still thinking of their families back home, of perhaps commandeering a boat and sailing to Florida to try their luck at finding their loved ones. In an attempt to banish those thoughts, Arthur returned with several truckloads of Cuban rum, cigars, and even prostitutes 'liberated' from their pimps. Members of Arthur's band made references to the notorious gangster Al Capone when they saw their leader arrive, riding off the side of a covered truck, cigar in his lips and machine gun over his shoulder. When told of this, Arthur reportedly burst into laughter and responded that, if he were Al Capone, then his men were the Outfit. The name has stuck for over two-hundred years, and the Outfit has more than a little pride still in the humble origins of their name. Culture Though once highly organized remnants of the former U.S. Commonwealth's powerful military, two-hundred years have passed, and the Outfit has not aged as gracefully as groups like the Brotherhood of Steel. Descending into barbarism, the Outfit are ruthless raiders and brutal killers, only separated from the rank and file raiders and tribal savages by the tattered remnants of military discipline and a much more deadly arsenal of weaponry. The vestiges of the Outfit's military past are still prominent, if not degenerated, with discipline and respect for the chain of command still prized traits amongst members of the organization. Members of the Outfit live more like soldiers on campaign than barbarians squatting in the ruins of the old world, keeping to ancient training regimes and physical conditioning, as well as living day to day by a strict schedule. The concept of military rank still survives in the Outfit, though it has become more and more akin to the role of nobility in ancient feudal societies, with individuals born to members of higher rank more likely to simply inherent the status of their parents. While this is not always true, and members still occasionally rise through the ranks through merit alone, nepotism is slowly but surely creeping into every crevasse of the Outfit's corps as members become more and more closely related every generation. The corps are a somewhat recent development within the Outfit, though to an extent was always a factor in the faction's existence. As the once united Outfit spread across the ruined streets and suburbs of Havana, various groups took control of settlements, constructed forts, and became the benefactors of subjugated raider gangs. As these bands became more and more entrenched in their locals, and the power of the Captain of the Corps became more and more diluted amongst his warlords, affinity groups arose. Members of these corps intermarried, grew old and died together, and sooner or later became more akin to clans or tribes than contingents of soldiers. With the spreading of these roots, there soon developed distinct cultural norms and practices, slowly but surely cementing the fracturing of the once unified Outfit into a coalition of warlord states unified by shared origins and language. Economy Originally a raider state, thriving off gains made by expeditions into the irradiated depths of Havana or predation of nearby settlements, as the Outfit effectively drove out or destroyed all other easy prey in their immediate area they have had to adapt. The Outfit has thus begun to expand and seize settlements for themselves. Utilizing the local agrarian resources, they keep their members fed and provide more or less secure housing. Warlike and expansionist, the Outfit make very little from trade with other settlements of groups, instead eking out a profit by vassalizing other raider gangs as tributaries. That being said, the Outfit are making slow overtures towards building a proper civilized infrastructure, the various warlords realizing that they need to provide their growing domains with the basic necessities to sustain their numbers. Technology The Outfit boast one of the most advanced and robust arsenals of any group remaining on the islands of Cuba, barring perhaps the robotic legions of the Nacionalistas or the exotic weaponry purchased by the ever wealthy Rumrunner Cartels. Boasting well worn and cared for pre-war military equipment, limited arsenals of rare energy weapons, and most importantly, a sizable number of suits of power armor, the Outfit can bring forth a destructive force the likes have not been witnessed since the world was wreathed in atomic ruin. Outfit Power Armor: '''Unlike the Brotherhood of Steel or the Enclave, the Outfit has not had the luxury of fresh suits of power armor or comfortable bunkers to while away the centuries, and thus their power armor represents a precious and irreplaceable resource. Worn and tattered, bearing scavenged bits and pieces from various models and held together with scrap metal scavenged from the wrecks of military robots and old derelict vehicles, Outfit Power Armor can at first appear to be in a sorry state of repair. Until the wearer rips through a concrete wall like it was paper and levels a roaring minigun at you. While certainly not in mint condition, Outfit Power Armor is far from the sorry conglomeration of odds and ends that typifies 'Raider' power armor. Kept painstakingly preserved through centuries of constant wear and tear, Outfit Power Armor remains roughly as functional as any other example found on the mainland, with perhaps the only drawback being that over time various sensitive internal systems have had to be cannibalized or stripped as the rarer parts have worn out or been damaged. As a result, Outfit Power Armor cannot be modified with additional attachments beyond the standard helmet mounted spotlight. '''Outfit Robots: '''Robots within the Outfit are rare, often being the remnants of the very same robotic military detachments their ancestors were deployed with almost two centuries ago. Thus, most of the robotic forces of the Outfit are regarded in a manner akin to family heirlooms and beloved pets, and are usually utilized as sentries and guardians of Outfit fortresses. '''Outfit Combat Armor: Outfit Covered Truck: Government The Outfit is functionally a warlord state with several holdings both inside Havana proper and in the more rural outskirts and suburbs. The Outfit take little part in the local governance of these settlements, instead utilizing them as outposts and garrisons for their members. Each settlement that hasn't been exterminated and looted for all their worth are held under the ruthless boot of their local warlord. The people of these settlements are extorted under threat of violence, the Outfit taking supplies, weapons, and manpower from these settlements when needed. Though uprisings are not uncommon, most people are kept cowed by the Outfit's reputation for shocking reprisals. The Outfit also has several raider gangs in their area of influence acting as vassals under their indirect control, expecting these groups to provide them the prime cut of their loot yearly as tribute. In return, these raider gangs are allowed to carry on with the express protection of the Outfit. Should anyone make an attack on one of these raider groups, all other vassals and the Outfit themselves will bear down on the offender with all the force they can spare in a brutal series of retaliatory strikes. The Outfit itself follows a robust chain of command, with the Captain of the Corps reigning from his throne at Castillo Azul and his warlords doling out his commands to the toughs in the field. Though fractious and far from immune to infighting, the Outfit as a whole has avoided fullblown civil war for the better part of eighty years ever since the rule of Carl "Killer" Masterson brought the Outfit back from the brink of annihilation. Military The Outfit have grown over the years to number in the hundreds, splitting into several affinity groups known as corps, controlling various raider gangs and several settlements both inside and outside Havana in their iron grip. The group has made most of its gains by press ganging rival raider gangs into their ranks, forcing them to accept the Captain of the Corps as their commander in chief, or die horribly via flamer firing squad. Most dutifully accept the latter, and are then put though a modicum of military style training and drills to make them more than mere bandits. The Outfit is, by comparison to other raider groups and tribal confederations, a well organized and stratified organization. In keeping with their military background, the Outfit has a healthy respect for the chain of command, though like any pack of raiders, respect for leadership can only really be reinforced by strength, either of personality or of a physical nature. The ranks are as follows: '''Freshies: '''A somewhat derogatory term, a freshie is a raw recruit, usually a conscripted raider or wannabe wastelander who has proven at least worthy of catching a bullet for a proven member of the Outfit. Freshies, or 'fresh meats' are usually utilized as auxiliaries, stuck doing labor and menial tasks and only occasionally taken on raids or scavenging forays into the city to prove themselves. These individuals are typically lightly equipped, maybe armed with a well worn service rifle or SMG and usually issued a suit of basic combat armor. While not the flashiest kit in the post-war Cuban landscape, its a damn sight better than what most raiders are used to, and the guaranteed food and water is more than enough for most. '''Toughs: '''Thoughs are the bloodied fighters and proven members of the Outfit, forming the ruthless backbone of the Outfit. Armed with assault rifles of both American and Chinese make, sometimes outfitted with heavy weapons like missile launchers and flamers, and the occasional service rifle or shotgun thrown in for good measure, the toughs are dangerous opponents at all ranges. They also typically come armed with combat knives and 10mm Pistols for close encounters. '''Sarges: '''Brutal commandants and seasoned veterans of wasteland combat, the sarges of the Outfit often lead from the front and keep tight discipline amongst their troops. A single sarge can command a squad of six, or a fire-team of ten, depending on his personal charisma and overall respect he commands. sarges tend to come armed with much the same fair as their toughs, though some can opt for higher tier weaponry such as laser rifles or more specialized gear such as power fists or rippers. '''Cavalry: '''Cavalrymen are often considered a special case in the pecking order of the Outfit, as they are the fortunate few who are trained to operate and outfitted with suits of power armor. While the Outfit's corps are generally beholden to the rule of the chain of command, respecting the authority of their proven leaders, the cavalry are equipped to such a degree that their role is more akin to that of knighted nobility than that of military personnel. Above the whims of sarges and other common rabble, these elite, hardened murderers answer only to their warlord, who tend to rise from the ranks of the cavalry due to the power and prestige the position grants. '''Warlord of the Corps: '''Though previously assigned titles like "Captain" and "Commander", as the Outfit devolves further and further into barbarism thanks to the influx of raiders into their ranks and the endless march of time, the leaders of the corps have recently adopted the simple title of Warlord. Warlords, clad in their powered armor, are amongst some of the deadliest warriors in all of post-war Cuba. Rising to power either by right of birth or via brutal coupe, a warlord of the corps has often had to prove themselves as leaders and warriors long before they ascend to their petty throne. '''Captain of the Corps: '''Lord and master of the Outfit, the Captain of the Corps rules from the Outfit's ancestral fortress Corps The corps are essentially the fractured raider gangs and clans that make up the overall body of the Outfit, essentially extended families who take up the mantle of the Outfit through either blood ties or membership earned in service to the echelon. These groups are led by their warlords, who in turn swear fealty to the Captain of the Corps, who serves as the overall figurehead of the Outfit. While highly autonomous, the corps are, by sacred tradition, oathsworn to serve the will of the Captain of the Corps. Any who defy the will of the Captain often find themselves the subject of embargo and even outright civil war as the other corps leap at the chance to absorb the resources to destroy the rebellious echelon. corps are generally named either by the name of their recognized founder or by a distinctive color that the forces of an echelon's cavalry fighters adopt on their powered armor. Castle Corps The traditional corps of the Captain of the Corps, the Castle Corps boast the most disciplined Pale Corps Kleves Corps Graves Corps Blue Corps Also known simply as 'The Blues' the Blue Corps are the Outfits foremost marines and pirates, raiding along the Havana coastline from their coastal fortress of Fort Whale. Sailing in ancient amphibious troop transports, the people of Havana's coastal ruins know to run when they see belching smog on the water. Cold and ruthless, the fighters of the Blue Corps slaughter men, women, and children alike in their savage raids, taking anything of value and leaving only shell shocked ruins in their wake. Cavalry of this corps mark themselves with dark blue warpaint and bedeck their armor with the bones of their fallen foes for maximum intimidation. Bonesaw Corps The butchers and sadists who rule the rotting hulk of St. Michael General Hospital, the Bonesaw Corps are the Outfit's foremost medical experts and torturers. Kilgore Corps Founded in 2111 by the infamous Brandon "Yates" Kilgore, the Kilgore Corps, also known as the 'Korps', are ruthless marauders who have long ruled from their ancestral stomping grounds in Havana's suburban districts near the coast. Relations Quotes By About Category:Groups Category:Raiders Category:Cuba